Lenovo is tight-lipped on laptop specs

CHINESE NOTEBOOK MAKER Lenovo has updated its Ideapad range of portable computers aimed at consumers.

The three laptops, all part of the firm's consumer Ideapad range, will be available next month. Unlike some other manufacturers, Lenovo has stuck thin and light devices in its consumer lineup rather than relying just on netbooks. The three models introduced are a £300 S10-3s netbook, the Z560, an uninspiring middle-of-the-road laptop costing £550 and the altogether more exciting ultra-portable U160 priced at £400.

Lenovo's announcement was light on the specifications of the three models. Though prices were revealed, specification was scant to the point at which the U160 was merely described as a 1.3kg machine with "a long battery life", hardly enough information to form the basis for keen interest.

Clearly the firm's marketing machine reserved some of its descriptive vocabulary for the £300 S10-3s netbook. Lenovo claimed that machine "offers a typing experience similar to a full size laptop", but who knows what sort of experience punters will have in other areas.

Unlike the Thinkpad, which is known for its legendary utilitarian design and high build quality, the Ideapad can be purchased in colours other than stealth fighter black. That should do more to sell the devices to the 'Web 2.0 generation' that the company seems to be so keen to attract.

All of the machines will be available by the end of July with, we hope, more details regarding their specifications. µ